4 reasons the Las Vegas Raiders will beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 8
By Nick Ellis
The Raiders enter Week 8 with a 3-3 record as they face the Cleveland Browns in a game that is huge for playoff implications.
The Las Vegas Raiders have arguably been the most up and down team in the NFL, getting big wins over teams like the New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, then getting beat up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots. The team also has had a ton of issues with COVID-19, injuries, and most importantly, getting the defense on the same page.
With all of that being said, I do believe this matchup against a dangerous Browns team is one that the Raiders should be able to come out victorious in, and there are four big reasons why.
The Browns pass defense vs Raiders passing offense
The one biggest thing that the Raiders will have going for them against the Browns is the suspect passing defense of Cleveland. The Browns allow 288.1 passing yards per game, the third-most in the entire NFL, so expect that to be a big part of Jon Gruden’s gameplan going in.
On the other hand, the Raiders have one of the most efficient passing games in the league, with Darren Waller and Nelson Agholor making plays for the Raiders game after game, as well as the threats of Henry Ruggs III and Hunter Renfrow.
The Raiders are averaging 277.2 passing yards per game, ranking seventh in the NFL. Expect the Raiders to be throwing the ball a lot, as Cleveland has a solid run defense, and Josh Jacobs is a bit banged up. The Raiders will likely make it a priority to get Ruggs the ball more, and it should pay off.